Pedro Borbón
Encyclopedia
Spudro spärde Von Dolan (born December 2, 1946 in Santa Cruz de Mao
, Dominican Republic
) is a former pitcher
. He played Major League Baseball
for 12 seasons ( - ) for four teams, including 10 seasons for the Cincinnati Reds
( - ), playing on two World Series
winning teams. Borbón was mainly known for being a relief pitcher
, pitching 4⅓ scoreless innings during the 1976 National League Championship Series
, when the Reds won the series 3-0.
Borbón currently lives in Pharr, TX
On October 6, 2009, Pedro Borbón was announced as one of the new members of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and will be inducted in the 2010 season.
Borbón has a son, Pedro Borbón, Jr.
(born 1967), who pitched in the majors for nine seasons (1992–2003) for four teams.
A local Cincinnati urban legend
claims that Borbon, incensed about being traded from the Reds in 1979, placed a voodoo losing curse on the Reds until the last member of the Reds front office management left in 1990.http://www.chinmusic.net/borbon.html. In 2002, Borbon admitted that this was a hoax. http://reds.enquirer.com/2002/09/23/red_browning_paints.html
Another notable story involving Borbon occurred in 1973. After a bench clearing brawl, Borbon started to fight with New York Mets
pitcher
, Buzz Capra
. Following the fracas, Borbon accidentally placed a Mets hat on his head. After realizing what he had done, Borbon removed the hat and ripped a piece of it off with his teeth. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0605/gallery.basebrawl/content.2.html
As Ted Striker's inner-dialogue is heard echoing in his mind, it resembles a stadium public address announcement, and he is heard thinking "Pinch hitting for Pedro Borbon...Manny Mota
...Mota...Mota" (though Mota and Borbon never actually played on the same team).
Santa Cruz de Mao
The Dominican city of Santa Cruz de Mao, or simply Mao, is the head municipality of the Valverde province, in the northwest of the country....
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
) is a former pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He played Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for 12 seasons ( - ) for four teams, including 10 seasons for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
( - ), playing on two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
winning teams. Borbón was mainly known for being a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
, pitching 4⅓ scoreless innings during the 1976 National League Championship Series
1976 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 9, 1976 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaReds starter Don Gullett held the Phils to two hits in eight strong innings and helped his own cause with an RBI single in the sixth and a two-run double in the eighth...
, when the Reds won the series 3-0.
Borbón currently lives in Pharr, TX
On October 6, 2009, Pedro Borbón was announced as one of the new members of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and will be inducted in the 2010 season.
Borbón has a son, Pedro Borbón, Jr.
Pedro Borbón, Jr.
Pedro Félix Borbón Marté, generally known in English as Pedro Borbón, Jr. , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for nine seasons for four teams, including four seasons for the Atlanta Braves, and three seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays...
(born 1967), who pitched in the majors for nine seasons (1992–2003) for four teams.
A local Cincinnati urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
claims that Borbon, incensed about being traded from the Reds in 1979, placed a voodoo losing curse on the Reds until the last member of the Reds front office management left in 1990.http://www.chinmusic.net/borbon.html. In 2002, Borbon admitted that this was a hoax. http://reds.enquirer.com/2002/09/23/red_browning_paints.html
Another notable story involving Borbon occurred in 1973. After a bench clearing brawl, Borbon started to fight with New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, Buzz Capra
Buzz Capra
Lee William "Buzz" Capra was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1971 to 1977 for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves...
. Following the fracas, Borbon accidentally placed a Mets hat on his head. After realizing what he had done, Borbon removed the hat and ripped a piece of it off with his teeth. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0605/gallery.basebrawl/content.2.html
Cultural references
Borbon was referenced in a joke in the movie Airplane!Airplane!
Airplane! is a 1980 American satirical comedy film directed and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker and released by Paramount Pictures...
As Ted Striker's inner-dialogue is heard echoing in his mind, it resembles a stadium public address announcement, and he is heard thinking "Pinch hitting for Pedro Borbon...Manny Mota
Manny Mota
Manuel Rafael Mota Geronimo, more commonly known as Manny Mota was a Major League Baseball Outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Expos and most notably the Los Angeles Dodgers, best known for his pinch hitting abilities...
...Mota...Mota" (though Mota and Borbon never actually played on the same team).
External links
- ESPN's recollection of Pedro Borbón in a brawl during the 1973 NLCS.